Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Fox studios. This story is not meant to infringe upon anyone's rights, only to entertain.

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CHAPTER 5 – Chosen One


… Christmas 1880…

Snow and dust rained upon the Slayer and her guards as they made their way through their nightly routine. As always, Angel was in front while Caden and Spike acted as flank.

Spike had noticed that something was different tonight. It felt like Helena did not have her heart into the fight. He stole a quick glance to make sure she was okay before fending of the next vampire that decided he was better than the Slayer and her guards. Her moves were not as sharp and her arms seemed like lead when she threw her punches. Something was definitely wrong. With a growl, Spike disposed of the vampire in front of him. Then he rushed over to the Slayer’s side.

“You’re a little sloppy today Helena.” Spike said, catching the fist of a vampire that was aiming for her stomach. But instead of pushing him away as the fledgling was expecting, he pulled him in toward Helena’s direction where she had a stake at the ready. Dust rained down on them and Spike now knew for a fact that something was definitely wrong when she didn’t even make a move to dust herself off.

“Angel! Caden! I’m taking Helena home.” He announced to the other two. “Come on, luv. Don’t think you should be patrolling anymore tonight.”

“Straight home Spike!” Angel called out as he disposed of the last of the demons.

“Whatever Poofter!”

Caden just shook his head.


Helena and Spike walked side by side in silence. He wanted to ask her what was on her mind but thought it best to wait till she was ready to tell him. The streets were filled with Christmas decorations and lights. There were plenty of people still on the streets. Children were laughing as they held on to their parents hands and pointed at the different toys and sweets displayed in various shop windows.

Helena let out an almost inaudible sigh. “Do you ever think about it Spike?”

Spike tilted his head with a puzzled look on his face. “Don’t think I follow you, pet.”

“That.” She said pointing to a happy family walking down the street. It was the typical English family of the time -- father, mother and two children, all holding hands and obviously enjoying the holidays despite the cold weather.

“I did, once. Well, maybe I still do, once in a while, especially since Mother is still alive. Why do you ask?”

“I’ll never have that will I?”

“You never know, luv.”

She shook her head. “You don’t need to be nice Spike. The longest a Slayer’s ever lived after being called is three years. I’m near that mark. I can’t help but think that it’s coming.”

“Nonsense. Only reason the other Slayer’s didn’t last as long is because they didn’t ‘ave me.” He said waggling his eyebrows.

She giggled a tiny bit. “Thanks Spike but you don’t need to cheer me up. I am not afraid. Just have lots of regrets I guess.”

“Bah! … Children are just a pain, crying and whining and what not.”

“Oh you mean like you?!”

“’ey. Watch it Slayer.”

She smiled up at him warmly. “You’re right Spike. I should go home. I’m tired.”
Spike just nodded but there was something in the way she said that last sentence that made him worry.


**

… a few nights later …

Snow covered the ground and holiday decorations still adorned a few of the shops that lined the main streets of London. Though majority of the people that were still on the streets seemed filled with the holiday spirit, three figures all clad in black slipped through the city with silent determination. One of them carried a limp form in his arms. They entered the Council grounds without so much as a greeting to anyone else. They headed for the main hall in the hopes of finding one particular Watcher. Sure enough, Robert was where he always was at this hour. He was waiting in one of the many studies for his ward to come home. As the door opened, he stood up and was more than ready to greet his Slayer with a smile and a hug, but the sight he saw made him fall to his knees. Spike laid Helena’s cold body on the floor. He stayed by her side for a moment, remembering the Slayer that had in a way made him who he was today.

“How did … ?” The Watcher managed to ask as tears started streaming down his cheeks.
Caden spoke up and retold the events of that night and as Spike listened he replayed them in his head as well.



It was a pair of demons that fed on children. They had been tracking the pair for some time now. They were called Remover demons. Well that really wasn’t what they were called but it was the closest translation to an English word that Spike could think of. Despite all his complaining and whining two nights ago, he did actually help out with the research. He intended on doing it anyway but it was always a joy to see Angel get a little riled up.

Remover demons had wings and the group had to follow the pair on foot. Tonight their target was a small orphanage near the outskirts of town. The group followed the demons quietly. They slipped into the orphanage but then quickly split up when they saw each demon go to a different floor. Helena and Spike went to the upper level while Angel and Caden followed the demon through the first floor.

The creature moved quickly. By the time Helena and Spike reached the demon it had already claimed its first victim. It was one of the adults that ran the facility. The demon was smart enough to have disposed of the one person that could have hindered its feeding. Helena knew she had to act before it found any of the children. She ran and grabbed the demon by its wings flinging it away a few feet. The demon hit the wall with a loud thud.

Spike heard some of the children rousing from their sleep because of the noise. Helena shot him a look and Spike nodded in understanding. Sure enough, a door creaked open and a little girl stepped out sleepy eyed. Spike blocked the little girl’s view.

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing to worry about ‘ere Nibblet.” Spike said. “You go on back to bed.”

“Who are you?”

“I’m a friend Nibblet. Now be a good little girl and go on back to bed.”

“But? … But?” The little girl knew something was up and was trying to see past Spike’s coat.

“Listen to Spike now and go back to bed.” He said ushering the girl back into the room. He hoped to get her settled down before another child decided to become curious as well. He already felt three more children waking up while four other girls sat up in their bed looking frightened.

“What’s going on? … I’m scared. … Is it the boogeyman? …” The girls were whimpering now and he didn’t know how to calm them down. He heard another crash out in the hallway accompanied by a loud screech and he was getting more and more worried about Helena. He turned and was ready to open the door when he felt small arms wrap around his leg.

“I’m scared. I know something’s out there.”

Spike wanted to say otherwise but it was really hard to cover up the fight outside when there was another loud crash. He bent down and smiled at the little girl.

“Everything’s going to be alright. Your guardian angels are with you tonight so you don’t need to worry. Now you stay in ‘ere and go back to bed. Ok Nibblet?”

The little girl shook her head. “If you leave, then the bad thing outside will get me.”

Spike sighed in frustration and did his best not to just scare these girls himself back to bed. Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad idea but he convinced his demon out of it knowing that it would not help things if he ended up with a couple of crying little girls. He took a deep breath and knelt down before the girl. “The bad thing outside won’t be able to get in ‘ere because I’m going to stop it.”

“You promise?”

“Only if you go back to bed right now.”

The little girl bit her lower lip nervously but nodded and started to make her way back to her bed. Spike rushed outside just in time to see Helena drive a stake home into the demon’s chest.

Helena knew that a stake through the heart would not be kill the demon but she was hoping that it would slow it down so that she could get a chance to break its neck. The Remover extended its wings and flew up to the ceiling. It grasped the stake and removed it. Demon blood and stake fell to the floor. Helena looked up at it with an icy glare while the demon screeched back in anger. It then lunged at her and Spike put himself in between the Slayer and the demon. He grinned wildly, happy to finally be in a fight. But it was obviously not interested in the vampire. The two demons exchanged blows but the Remover was trying its best to find a way to attack the Slayer. Spike made sure to keep it away from Helena while he looked for an opening to break the demon’s neck.

Helena stood guard by the children’s door hoping that Spike had calmed the children down. Then she heard movement behind the door and it creaked open. The same little girl that came out earlier stepped into the hall once more.

“He’s real. I’m not dreaming. I saw my guardian angel. See!” She said arguing with another child as she pointed towards Spike.

Helena afforded a little giggle knowing that the vampire would hate himself being called a little girl’s guardian angel.

The other girl’s eyes grew bigger and she took another step forward. Helena moved to stop the girls from going any further. “Are you a guardian angel too?” the girl said looking up at Helena making the Slayer smile warmly.

Just then Spike was flung against the wall beside the children’s door. “Bloody ‘ell!” He quickly picked himself up but before he could take another step, he felt a sharp pain near his shoulder. He looked up to see that the demon had extended its claws and embedded them into his left shoulder. He tried to break free but the demon stepped closer and dug deeper into his flesh. With a malicious smile, it extended its other claw to aim at one of the little girls. Helena moved quickly and shielded the children, the Remover’s claw digging deep into her chest.

Rage took over as the smell of Slayer blood filled the air and Spike let his demon come out. With a feral growl he pulled the embedded claw away then rushed the demon pummeling it with kicks and punches. Then he twisted his body and caught the demon’s head from behind and twisted it with a loud satisfying snap. He didn’t even wait for the limp body to fall to the floor as he made his way to Helena’s side. The children were crying now but Spike was doing his best to ignore their wailing.

“It stings to breath Spike.”

“Don’t move too much. I’ll go get ‘elp, pet.”

“No. Don’t leave. Please don’t leave me alone.”

“Helena?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what pet?”

“For … for making that choice for you. For ... for… changing your existence.”

“There’s nothing to forgive, pet.”

Spike felt Caden coming up the stairs but he didn’t bother to acknowledge the other vampire’s presence. The older vampire just shook his head solemnly and went to calm the children down.

“It’s time Spike. I’m so tired. ”

“No. You’ve got to fight it.”

“Been fighting for so long. Just want to sleep … and dream.”


**

The Slayer that had made a Watcher into a vampire was now sleeping. She was now free from her destiny. Spike took one last look at this Slayer and gave her cold hand one final squeeze. Angel and Caden were waiting outside and with a nod Spike left the room to give her watcher time to grieve.

“Pack your things Spike. We’re leaving.” Angel said with a stern voice.

“Leaving? We can’t leave.”

“They’re sending us to Switzerland.”

Spike looked at Caden to see if there was any truth in what his sire just said. The brown-haired vamp just nodded solemnly. “We can’t leave. Helena just died and …”

“Exactly. That Slayer’s dead. Our obligation is no longer to her.”

“You have got to be sodding kidding me.”

“It’s our job Spike. The next one has been Chosen. We have to protect her now. You know that.”